by Alex Schnee
As remote work becomes more and more common, you might have made the transition to running your business with workers from different locations. There are some positives of having a remote team, but making sure that you have communication between yourself and your employees can be a major challenge. This is why having a few ways of communicating might be necessary for your business.
Here are some ways you can stay in touch other than just using email.
Use a dedicated messaging platform
While you can often communicate over email, it might not be the fastest way to get things done. Having a messaging software like service dispatch software can alert your employees that you wish to speak with them immediately. Instead of having to refresh your email, you can see instantly when they might have a question or an update that they want to share with you. There are a number of these types of platforms, so you should easily be able to find one that works for your budget.
Use calls
Keeping time zones in mind, calls can be a great way to reconnect and help your employees feel as though they are still a part of a team. Whether you choose to do them over the phone or you prefer to have video calls, these can go a long way toward solving problems with clients or answering important questions. Sometimes, it’s easier to explain challenges over the phone or video, and it does give your team more of a workplace culture than simply communicating over text.
Use a project management tool
Project management tools aren’t just used for keeping track of where in the pipeline they might be. They can also be a useful way to see in which stage a project is without constantly having to check in with your employees. Some project management software even includes messaging baked right into its application, meaning that you have a one-stop shop when it comes to investing in new technology for your business. If you’re looking to keep better track of how certain projects are coming along, then this can be a good solution.
Respond quickly to email
Of course, you can also spend more time making sure that you respond to your emails in a timely manner. For almost all important correspondence, you’ll want to have a record of it through email. One downside of this is that while you might respond quickly, that doesn’t mean that your team will feel the same way. This is why having a messaging app can increase the likelihood of hearing back from your workers sooner rather than later.
In summary
You might have to put a bit more effort into finding ways for your company to stay connected when you are running a remote business than when everyone can see each other in person. With these methods, you can make sure that projects get done and that instructions are properly communicated.
